Improvement in wood pavements



6. WHEELER, Jr.

Wood Pavements.

I Patented March 4, 18 73.

- fiwezazir. 7 4% AM PHD ro-umosmPmc on M y (ossnnns mo is UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CYRENUS WHEELER, JR., OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN WOOD PAVEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,572, dated March 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, UYRENUS WHEELER, Jr., of Auburn, county of Cayuga, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood Pavement, of which the following is a fnll, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part. of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a section of my improved pavement. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the metallic wearing-surface and the wedge for locking the blocks.

Similar letters ot'refereniaa denote corresponding parts in both figures.

It is well known, where wooden pavements are used and there is very heavy travel, that the blocks become worn, and the pavement soon becomes rough and as bad for travel as the ordinary stone pavement.

My invention consists in combining, with the wooden blocks for pavements, iron wedges provided upon their upper sides with overlapping lips or flanges, which rest upon the blocks of wood to provide a wearing-surface, as will be hereinafter explained. I

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the wedge, provided upon the upper side with a lip or flange, A. The wedge is cast, by preference, with its ends a a one turned to the right and one to the left for driving into the blocks about equal distance from the break in the blocks. I cast the wedge about half as long as the ordinary wooden blocks are cut, the ends a a atthe top being about half as wide as the wearing-surface. These ends are made in wedge form from top to bottom and from center to side to facilitate driving.

In laying wooden pavements it is custom ary to lay the blocks so that the adjoining rows of blocks shall break joints.

I lay my pavement as above described, the center wedge being driven between the sides of the blocks, the ends a a of the wedge being driven into the blocks at about equal distances from the point where the break is made in the precedin g row of blocks, thus locking the blocks crosswise of the street and wedging the blocks lengthwise, the lip A overlapping the block.

'lhe form of the lip or flange that I have shown is the most convenient, but any other form may be used; and when preferred the end locking-wedge may be made V-shaped so as to to lock the blocks from each side at both ends.

If it is found desirable, sand and tar or any suitable composition may be .driven between the blocks in the usual way and the wedge driven in afterward.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a wooden pavement, an iron wedge provided upon the upper side or end with a lip or flange resting upon the blocks, said lip or flange forming a wearingsurl'ace, as described.

2. In combination with a wooden pavement, an iron wedge made in form substantially as describetL-for locking the blocks crosswise and wed ging them lengthwise,:as=.set forth. 0. WHEELER, JR. Witnesses B1). A. HYDE, ALEXR. MAHON. 

